Mud protector for automobiles and the like



May 8, 1928.

. W. O. M KEY MUD lROIECTOR FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 1 1925 Patented May 8, 1928.

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Application filed September 19, 1925, Serial 80.57311, and in Sweden June 6, 1923. i 'f j This invention has for its object a mudprotector for automobiles and similar ve.

- band extending radially'cor approximately radially outwards along the wheel-rim nearly to the middle oi same;

The invention is described below conformably to a form of same shown in the annexed drawing where Figure l isa side-vi wheel provided with the said mud-pro tector. 1

Figure 2 is a cross-section of the said wheel, and I Figure 3 shows a modified detail.

The mud-protector in question is to be applied to both sides of the wheel, and l and 5 mark the plate-bands and 1 and2 the ring-shaped dash-boards: which may be made out of india rubber, leather or another flexible material. Thetwo plate-bands t, 5 are shaped by the inside of the felloe and adapted to rest against it. Each of the dashboards 1, 2 is fixed along its inner circumference to a plate-band in any suitable manner as for instance by rivets (3 and a narrow plate-ring 7 and 8 respectively mounted on the inside of the bands, the inner ends of the rivets having been upset against the said plate-rings. The dash-boards may also be fixed to the plate-bands in a detachable manner as for instance. by means of keys for being interchanged, it wanted. Each lateband may extend at least to the mid le of the wheel-rim, viewed in cross-section, in order to give to the dash-boarda sufiicient support against being bent outwards, and also for imparting to the-same a correspondingly curved shape which besides gives to the mud-protector a more favourable look.

The breadth of the dash-board is adapted to the wheel-rims of the vehicle in such a'manner as to allow the dash-boards to come as near to the ground as possible for filling their task in an effective manner. All rings may be composed of sections. a a

By the shown arrangement of the mudprotector one gains the advantage of the dash-boards being able to bend freely in- Wards towards the Wheel-rim to avoid un evennesses of the round and also to be supported against being bent outwards.

and a disc wheel respectively.

Diflerentnieans maybe used for fixing the mud-protector to the wheel-rim. Below three different means are mentioned adapted to a carriage-wheel, a wheel-with steel spokes A means for fixing themud-protectorto a carr age-wheel is shown in Figure 1. The two platedoands ,4, 5 are pressed to thejt'elloe by locking members which are jammed be tween the felloe and the hub. The said members comprise a clamp 9 of sheet-metalor bolt 11 beingfslidably mounted in the said tube; The said bolt ends in a wedgew12 of india rubber or another suitable material plate-bands. When the said means has been mountedin its place the tube 10 and the bolt -11 may be locked together by means of a screw 16. In order that the wedge 12 may be firmly fixed in its place it may be prothe like embracing the plate-bands and prO- vided with a tube 10' directed inwards, a ew of an automobile vided with a stud or the like formed out of thebolt or fixed to it and engaging either a corresponding depression made in the hub of the wheel, or the space between the spokes.

The means for fixing the mud-protector to a wheel with steel spokes shown in Figure 3 consists of hooks 14 fixed to each of the plate-bands 4, 5 with equal interspaces, the said figure showing one hook in each ring. As shown in the drawing the respective hook is provided on one plate-band opposite a hook on the other one, a spiral spring 15 being mounted between both hooks, the ends of said spring forming each a swivel with loop, or also a loop only for fixing the 1 spring. Evidently, theplate-bands4,-5 are pressed to the wheel-rim by the said means.

In disc-wheels or wheels with removable felloes the mudprotector is suitably fixed by means of the traversing screws uniting the discs or fastening the felloe, the platebands being provided with holes suitable,

plate band to said rim, comprising a plurality of clamps situated at a suitable distance from one another between the spokes of the wheel and adapted to embrace the plate band, said clamp having tube members, extending inwardly toward the hub of the Wheel, bolts slidably mounted in said tube members, the outer ends of said bolts terminating in Wedges adapted to extend between two spokes at the hub, and means for forcing said bolts against said spokes, and a ring shaped dash board of flexible material, secured to said plate band in such a manner as to allow the same to bend freely inwardly toward the wheel rim, but to support the same against outward bending.

2. A mud protector for automobiles and similar vehicles, comprising a ring shaped plate band adapted to be secured to the wheel rim and proportioned to the same, having a ring shaped dash board of flexible material secured to either side thereof and extending beyond the same, said plate band extending substantially radially outward along the wheel rim nearly to the middle of the same, said dash board extending inwardly by nearly the half of its breadth along the inside of the plate band, and being secured there to at its inner circumference only, whereby said dash boardis permitted to bend freely inwardly toward the Wheel rim to avoid uneveness of the ground, yet is supported against outward bending, a plurality of clamps embracing the plate band, located at a suitable distance from one another be tween the spokes, andhaving tube members extending inwardly therefrom, toward the hub of the Wheel, bolts slidably mounted in said tube members and having ends which terminate in wedges of flexible material adapted to abut the intersection of two spokes, springs in said tube members for forcing said bolts against said spokes, and set screws for locking said bolts in engaginq position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed mv name.

WAsHrNeToN o'rTo MAo KEY. 

